Abundance NY

GET UPDATES

FAQ

← Back
District map

Abundance New York 2026 State Legislative Candidate Questionnaire

Lisa Vider

State Senate, District 9
Please briefly describe your background and why you are running for this office.
  • I am running for office b/c I advocated in healthcare for 30 years, the last time I went to Albany spoke to Republican elected official, he directed me to a democrat to “get something done”. I then realized my district was run by republicans who could and were not delivering for my community.

  • How are you differentiated from your opponent(s)? What does your path to victory look like?
  • Unlike my opponent, I'm focused on actually delivering for this district — bringing funding home, passing real legislation, fight to lower taxes, focus on healthcare solutions for all and advocating for tangible change, not fear-mongering that helps no one.

    The incumbent won this seat in the 2022 Republican wave, flipping it by single digits. By 2024, Democrats had already reclaimed two overlapping seats, and even against an underfunded challenger outspent 4:1 with no real party investment, she won by just 8 points — proof this seat is winnable, and proof she's vulnerable.

    This cycle is different. My campaign has raised more hard dollars than any insurgent Senate candidate in the state and is positioned to outspend the incumbent. I have the backing of AM Solages, Legislator Solages, and Legislator Nunez, along with the political infrastructure to run a real ground game. I also bring a unique advantage in the Five Towns, where the 2024 challenger won just 19% of the Jewish vote — over 11% of the district's total — because he never invested there. I come from that community with deep, longstanding ties, and expect to roughly double that performance.

    A 4-point shift would have flipped this seat in 2024. With NCDC and DSCC now treating this as a top target, an expanded minority turnout operation, an anticipated gain in the Five Towns, and a fully funded field and media campaign, this district is Democrats' best opportunity to flip a Senate seat this cycle.

  • — DEMOCRACY AND DELIVERY —

  • Respecting the Democratic Process. We believe in a democracy that delivers, and that includes maintaining a commitment to democratic norms. New York should not take steps to limit access to the ballot. The legitimacy of free and fair elections should not be subverted, and their results should not be challenged after being audited and/or upheld in the courts.
  • Agree

  • Increasing Focus on Outcomes: New York should revisit and update outdated rules on hiring, procurement, and approvals for infrastructure changes to ensure our protocols are aligned with our values—and should focus on actual outcomes achieved rather than money spent.
  • Agree

  • Civil Service Reform: New York should make it easier for the government to hire the staff they need by making exams more job-relevant, allowing work experience to count instead of degrees, and enabling temporary appointments. (See agenda item #2)
  • Agree

  • Capital Project Procurement Reform: New York State should give NYC more procurement flexibility (such as expanded challenge-based procurement and "other transaction authority" style contracting) in order to speed up the delivery of capital projects.(See agenda item #4)
  • Agree

  • City Charter Reform: New York City voters should approve “COGE” ballot questions 1-4 to accelerate nonprofit contracts, building permits, outdoor dining application review, and bike lane creation.
  • Agree

— HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS —

  • Expanding Housing: Addressing the housing affordability crisis requires increasing production of all kinds of housing, including market-rate units, across all neighborhoods and municipalities.
  • Agree

  • Transit Oriented Development: New York should allow for more housing to be built near existing transit stations including near commuter rail stations, even if that requires changing zoning. (See agenda items #8 and #9)
  • Agree

  • Property Tax Reform: New York state should reform the property tax system to be fairer, especially for renters; easier to understand; and more progressive. (See agenda item #11)
  • Agree

  • Homelessness/Expedited permanent supportive housing: Addressing the homelessness crisis requires a housing-first solution such as expedited permanent supportive housing for those in need, because shelters are not a permanent solution. (See agenda item #12)
  • Agree

  • Build Code Reform: New York, at the city and state level, should embrace building code and licensing reforms (e.g., smaller elevator size requirements, modular construction, mass timber) that make it cheaper to build housing while maintaining safety. (See agenda items #15-17)
  • Agree

— PUBLIC TRANSIT AND THE PUBLIC REALM —

  • Reducing Car Dependency: New York should aspire to reduce the number of cars on the road and vehicle miles traveled, by expanding access to high-quality, affordable, and safe public transit and micro-mobility.
  • Agree

  • Transit Cost Containment: New York should act in a coordinated fashion to reduce the cost of building new transit projects, including reducing the size of stations and allowing the temporary disruption of street traffic to more quickly complete projects. (See agenda item #19)
  • Agree

  • Busway Expansion: New York City should: 1) expand the number of busways (routes where private cars are banned); and 2) eventually pursue bus rapid transit lines to increase bus speeds throughout the city. (See agenda item #20)
  • Agree

  • Parking: New York City should charge more for parking and reduce or eliminate free street parking, and should eliminate parking mandates for new homes. (See agenda items #18 and #26)
  • Agree

  • — CLEAN ENERGY AND RESILIENCY —

  • Abundant Clean Energy: New York should prioritize private and public sector construction of new renewable energy, grid electrification and transmission upgrades, and resiliency infrastructure to meet our climate goals and adapt our infrastructure for the future.
  • Agree

  • Solar Energy: New York State should preempt local regulations that effectively ban solar projects by establishing a ceiling on restrictions and should streamline solar permitting by adopting automated systems in order to enable more solar energy. (See agenda items #32 & #33)
  • Agree

  • New Energy Development: Beyond solar, New York should expand its nuclear energy capacity—including by building new reactors and extending the life of existing plants—and advance geothermal projects in order to hit the goal of 100% zero-emission electricity generation by 2040. (See agenda items #39 & #40)
  • Agree

  • Resiliency Authority: The State should create and empower a public authority to address New York's resilience needs led by a Chief Resilience Officer and guided by a collaborative statewide resilience plan that prioritizes protecting socially vulnerable communities. (See agenda item #37)
  • Agree

  • — RECORD AND PRIORITIES — 

  • Abundance Examples from Your Work: Please describe a specific example from your record (legislative, professional, or community work) where you championed a project or policy that is aligned with our agenda. What obstacles did you overcome, and what was the outcome?
  • I've spent 30 years in the assisted living industry, and for a lot of that time, I've gone up to Albany to advocate on behalf of facilities like mine that too often get left out of state health initiatives entirely. My residents depend on Medicaid, healthcare coverage, and other public benefits just to get the care they need, and I've seen firsthand how confusing, redundant application and reapplication processes create real gaps in coverage for people who can least afford it. I've pushed back on that, both within my own facility and through my advocacy in Albany, fighting to make sure assisted living isn't an afterthought when these systems are designed. That's exactly why I support cutting the time tax on public benefits; simplifying applications and extending reapplication windows isn't bureaucratic housekeeping, it's about making sure vulnerable New Yorkers don't fall through the cracks.

  • Legislative Priorities: If elected (or re-elected), what are your top three priorities? Please be specific about the policies you would advance and what you hope to achieve.

  • 1. Affordability: Long Island families are being squeezed by high property taxes and rising utility bills. I will fight for property tax relief and push to lower energy costs, so working families and seniors can afford to stay in the homes and communities they've built their lives in.

    2. Healthcare: I will work to lower prescription drug costs and cut through insurance barriers that keep people from getting the care they need. I'll also push to expand access to pediatric care and mental health services, and strengthen programs that help seniors age in place with dignity, rather than being forced out of their communities.

    3. Education: I will support strong public and nonpublic schools alike, along with the student services and special education resources every child deserves. I'll also prioritize strengthening security in schools and communities, so families feel safe sending their kids to learn.